Improvement in telegraph-keys



J. O. BYRNS.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

No.180,839. Patented Aug.8,1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES O. BYRNS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN TELEGRAPH-KEYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,839, dated August8, 1876; application filed May 22, 1876.

To all whom it may concern: spring, 01, that interrupts the contact ofthe Be it known that I, JAMES O. BYRNS, of key-points with thepostE,which is connected Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and to onepole, while the upright support B is State of New Jersey, have inventeda new connected to the other pole, of the battery. and ImprovedTelegraph-Key, of which the The contact of either key closes thecircuit, following is a specification: so that by the alternate workingof the keys In the accompanying drawing, Figurelrepthe motion of thehand is utilized in both resents a top view, and Fig. 2 a verticaltransdirections for the transmission of telegraphic verse section online m as, Fig. 1, of my imcharacters. proved telegraph-key. The rearends of the keys 0 and D bear by Similar letters of reference indicatecorreset-screws 6 against a double post, F, that is sponding parts.centrally split or divided by an insulating- The object of my inventionis to furnish for layer, which serves to cut out the key bytelegraph-operators an improved duplex key, connection with the mainline and keys. The by which the time. taken up by the upward tension ofthe spring d is regulated by the motion of the present key may beutilized, adjustment of the set-screws in the customand the sending ofthe messages be accomary manner. The duplex key admits with plishedinabout half the former time, and little practice double transmittingspeed, as with greater facility and ease. compared to the single key,and facilitates the The invention consists of two horizontal work of thetelegraph-operator to a considswinging and spring-acted keys, whoseconerable extent. tact-points alternately close the circuit by Havingthus described my invention,Iclaim contact with an intermediate post,the keys as new and desire to secure by Letters Patbeing cut out, whennot in use, by the rear set-screws bearing against a double post withdividing insulating-layer. In the drawings, A represents the baseframeof the key; B, the upright metallic frame, to which thehorizontally-swinging keys 0 and D are pivoted by steel pins to. Thekeys 0- and D are provided-at the outer ends with the usual buttons b,by which the keys are operated by being swung by thumb and forefingerfrom one side to the other in place of the up-and-down motion of thecommon key.

exit- 1. A duplex telegraph-key made of horizontally-swinging andspring-acted lever-keys, that close the circuit alternately,substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of two horizontallyswinging and spring-acted keys, byrear setscrews, with a double centrally insulated post, substantially asshown and described.

JAMES O. BYRNS.

Witnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, T. B. MOSHER.

The keys are jointly connected by a spiral

